Green Energy Skills Training Alliance (GESTA)
What is GESTA?
GESTA is the Green Energy Skills Training Alliance. It is a collaborative alliance comprising training providers, construction organisations, and industry bodies. Our shared mission is to accelerate the decarbonisation of homes and buildings in Waltham Forest and the surrounding areas. We achieve this through the delivery of top-quality skills training in retrofit and green energy, promotion of the industry as a career, and other partnership activities.
Why join GESTA?
- Recruitment Solutions – best ways to find new skilled workers and succession planning.
- Job Opportunities – advertise your vacancies far and wide.
- Access to Training – find local, quality green construction training for your team and supply chain.
- Funding Opportunities – up to date information and guidance to access local funding.
- Networking – meet every quarter with other businesses and share expertise.
- Careers Fairs and Pathways – attend green jobs fairs and events, hold workshops to promote your business.
Click on each drop-down to find out more about the company.
Countryside Homes pride ourselves on creating places where people love to live, with sustainable communities built to last.
We have well established expertise in redeveloping brownfield land, recycling land which has been previously developed for residential, industrial or commercial use to create much needed homes.
New Build Homes for Sale Near Me, New Houses & Properties | Countryside Homes
We are the integrated transport authority responsible for meeting Mayor Sadiq Khan’s strategy and commitments on transport in London. We run the day-to-day operation of the capital’s public transport network and manage London’s main roads.
Kinovo plc is a leading UK provider of specialist property services centred on safety and regulatory compliance, home and community regeneration and sustainable living through the installation of efficient and greener energy alternatives.
We focus on three key strategic pillars, all of which ensure we are well placed to meet the long-term macro-economic drivers of their customers that are underpinned by Government legislation and policy.
Regulation:
Assuring safety and regulatory compliance standards in homes and places of work
Regeneration:
Creating and enhancing dwellings and workplaces to support sustainable and resilient communities
Renewables:
Providing energy efficient solutions that reduce carbon footprint
Taylor Wimpey builds new homes across the UK. We carefully consider how to design our homes to be energy-efficient. Sustainable features can be seen throughout our homes, from high quality insulated roofs, walls, and windows, through to energy-efficient appliances, zoned heating systems and water saving taps.
Our new build houses come with a smaller carbon footprint than an equivalent second-hand property, which is great news for the planet and means lower energy bills for the homeowner, with an average saving of £979 a year.*
*Figures sourced from HBF “Watt a Save” report update, January 2025
JJ Rhatigan is a leading main contractor at the forefront of the construction industry for over 65 years, combining speed and quality across a diverse range of capabilities. We deliver high quality, sustainable results building for a better future in Ireland and the UK.
We seek to:
- Create long-term sustainable outcomes.
- Work to the highest ethical, social, and environmental standards.
- Achieve industry leading low-carbon performance.
- Enrich the communities in which we work as a considerate contractor.
- Engage our supply chain and partners in promoting our sustainability agenda.
Tide is reshaping the way that buildings are delivered. Our volumetric approach brings iconic designs to life quickly, safely and efficiently, cutting waste and carbon emissions. We are proud to be leading the way to a smarter construction industry – and to a greener future for our investors and communities.
We are a recognised Principal Contractor company founded in 2007 that provides quality building services across London and the South East of England.
From our state-of-the-art 15,000 sq ft facilities in Greenwich, we act as a principal contractor to Housing Associations, Property Developers, Retail and Hospitality, the NHS, Council Tenders and Developments, and Governmental Schemes.
Powerday is a family-owned independent business providing leading waste management and skip hire services throughout London and the UK. We take pride in contributing to the reduction of the UK’s environmental waste impact and using our sustained growth to support our local communities. Our responsible waste management service assist our clients in sustainably managing their resources.
Powerday operate the largest Materials Recycling Facilities (MRFs) in Southern England from sites in Willesden Junction, and Enfield, which are supported by waste transfer stations in Bermondsey, Brixton, Canning Town, Croydon, Heathrow and Wimbledon. Combined, these facilities are licensed to process over 3.5 million tonnes of waste each year.
We are an award-winning 5 star housebuilder, creating a range of beautiful and award-winning new homes across London and the South East.
Our approach to sustainability is grounded in the belief that our actions should have a positive impact on the world around us. We strive to make sustainable choices that benefit not only our company but also the communities in which we operate, our employees, and the planet as a whole.
Breyer is one of the leading property services providers in the South and South East, with over 60 years of experience within the public sector.
Established in 1956 by Fred Breyer, the company remains a family-owned business and we pride ourselves on continuing to work with family values in place. We run as an extension of our clients’ businesses, delivering personable and professional services that are tailored to the needs of their customers and stakeholders, be it within a regeneration project, a long-term programme or a multimillion pound partnering framework.
Our specialist roofing, responsive repairs and refurbishment teams deliver award-winning property services through innovative, sustainable, socially-conscious and environmentally-sensitive solutions.
For over 30 years, Conneely Group have successfully worked in partnership with its clients, staff, trades and suppliers to build a strong reputation of efficiency, quality and reliability.
Over the last quarter of a century, our mission has been to work in partnership with the UK’s construction industry to help build safety and integrity into Britain’s architectural infrastructure.
We use our years of knowledge, skills and passion to create visually vibrant buildings that are not just valuable capital assets but also compliant, safe and engaging environments for the people who live and work in them.
We’re among the world’s leading specialists in building cladding solutions; with a quarter of a century of industry experience and heritage, guaranteed work and a commitment to working in partnership with the construction industry we are helping to rebuild public faith in the safety and integrity of the UK’s infrastructure.
Conneely Group Ltd | Recladding | Drylining | Fire Testing | Facades
At Arc Group, we manage every project from inception to completion, ensuring that the highest standards are upheld at every stage. Our in-house team’s dedication to design, quality, and tailored solutions sets us apart from our competition.
Our people are the backbone of our success, embodying the values and vision that drive us forward. Together, we maintain a commitment to excellence, ensuring that every project is delivered with precision, care, and a focus on our client’s needs.
We are an established, family run, privately owned business that has been setting standards for efficiency, innovation and quality for over 60 years.
The founders of Aston Heating started out with a mission to deliver a more professional heating installation service. Since then, the business has evolved into Aston Group, an end-to-end building services and facilities management company as we move beyond our landmark 60th anniversary milestone toward an exciting future as leaders in our industry.
Aston Group is a leading Building Services and Facilities Management company for commercial and residential clients. — Aston Group
Established in 2005 by a team of industry experts with unsurpassed knowledge, expertise and experience, SIMIAN has rapidly grown to become one of the UK’s leading training and consultancy organisations.
The London Academy of Sustainable Construction (LASC) offers a comprehensive portfolio of CISRS scaffolding training, construction and green energy related qualifications. Our excellent facility is ideally located in the heart of the London Borough of Waltham Forest and attracts learners from a wide geographical area due to excellent motorway network access and extensive regional public transport links.
Construction Health & Safety Training and Consultancy | SIMIAN
Waltham Forest College has been rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted following its most recent inspection and has distinguished itself as one of only a small number of General Further Education Colleges across the country to achieve the prestigious ‘Outstanding’ rating.
The global push for sustainability by 2050 is gathering momentum, and at Waltham Forest College, we are committed to playing our part in shaping a greener economy. Recognising the critical role of educators, employers, and learners in shaping a greener economy, our courses are designed to equip individuals with the skills necessary to transition from outdated job roles to emerging, in-demand specialisms. By doing so, we ensure that learners are prepared for fulfilling careers in a world focused on sustainability.
Situated in the heart of Wandsworth with great transport links, South Thames College is just 9 minutes from Clapham Junction. With fantastic purpose built teaching facilities, study at South Thames College is exciting, fun and as close as possible to a real working environment. A second campus at Tooting offers a wide range of part time adult education courses.
South Thames Colleges Group (STCG) – Further Education London Colleges Group
The LSTA’s mission, as the UK’s leading provider of CITB and City & Guilds accredited courses in Lead and Hard Metals, is to provide the highest quality training delivered by fully qualified teaching staff to those working in the roofing industry. Through the provision of these flexible courses, students are then equipped with the skills and knowledge they need to pursue a successful career as a specialist roofing contractor, receiving nationally recognised qualifications from CITB and City and Guilds, from basic courses to advanced heritage skills.
The LSTA also offers accredited mobile training throughout the UK and bespoke training courses as well as on-site assessment to ensure the widest possible access to skills for those involved in a career in roofing. It also provides support to the wider construction industry through the publication of the Rolled Lead Sheet Manual 2018 edition.
Mid Kent College:
Every year over 6000 students from Medway, Maidstone and beyond choose MidKent College to continue their studies and prepare for their future career. MidKent College | University & College Courses in Kent & Medway
MKC Training:
MKC Training are experts in training and education to organisations and adult professionals in the areas of construction, engineering and health & safety. MKC Training was set up over 10 years ago to design and deliver artisan, technical and professional training services in 13 different trades to the Royal School of Military Engineering (RSME) at Brompton Barracks in Gillingham. They also provide world class training to a wide range of commercial and defence businesses, across all industries and in both public and private sectors, offering:
- All-inclusive training and support services
- World-class workshops
- Excellent equipment and facilities
- Knowledge from industry professionals, defence and academia
- Innovative training that blends face-to-face instruction with e-learning and augmented reality
In addition to their regular timetable of public and in-company courses, MKC Training also builds bespoke courses in Engineering, Construction and Health and Safety to suit individual business’s needs. From designing all elements of the course, including e-learning materials to delivering and assessing, we take care of the whole training package, saving you time and money.
We’re a training provider for the construction industry and low carbon sector, specialising in onsite NVQ assessment from Level 2 to Level 7. We deliver a range of training programmes, bitesize upskilling courses and qualifications tailored to our clients’ unique business requirements or personal goals.
We’ve been around since 2013 and, during those ten years, we’ve helped thousands of construction professionals gain vocational qualifications and CSCS cards. Many of us at DMR have worked in the industry for decades, and we’ve learned that training is most effective when it’s flexible, dynamic, and puts the learner’s needs first.
We are working for industry wherever we see opportunities to engage decision-makers, influence policy, and build dynamic partnerships across government, business and communities.
Our nationwide aims are to:
- Campaign, persuade and influence for the benefit of industry.
- Help government recognise industry needs for skills development.
- Work with local enterprise partnerships, regional bodies and national administrations to support training priorities.
- Strengthen relationships with employer groups, public sector clients and trade federations.
- Improve industry representation on CITB committees.
- Attract more people into construction and more employers to invest in training.
NOCN Group is an international charity which delivers future-fit skills solutions with social impact for Colleges, training providers, employers and individuals.
Our Qualifications, Apprenticeship End Point Assessment, Assured Courses, Competence Cards and Tests, and Short Online Courses are designed to advance skills in the areas where they are most needed:
- Preparation for life and work.
- Construction and the Built Environment.
- Engineering, Manufacturing, and the Green Economy.
- Health and Social Care.
- Education and Management.
New City College is a nationally-recognised and award winning champion of green skills and commitment to sustainability in further education. The college has campuses across east London and South-west Essex, in Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Redbridge, Epping Forest and Havering It also owns language schools in Oxford and Bournemouth. NCC is positioned firmly at the forefront of further education innovation and policy influence in the region and nationally.
The college environment is second to none. Industry standard facilities and equipment can be found at every New City College campus in line with the specialist education and training on offer. There are NCC green skills labs at three campuses: Rainham, Hackney and Epping Forest and Immersive Suites including VR technology across the college so that students can access real-life learning wherever they are within the college. Expert staff as well as partnerships with other high profile organisations all prepare students for progression to higher education or successful careers.
London South East Colleges is a thriving further education college with seven campuses across Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich and Lambeth. Our ambition is to transform lives by the power of learning.
Whether you are a school leaver, a potential apprentice, or an adult looking to upskill or return to work, we can support you with your next steps. You may want to retrain, improve your career prospects, study for a degree or learn something new.
We focus on careers, equipping you with the skills, knowledge and confidence you need to secure, fulfilling employment. We work with over 1000 businesses across many sectors including green and digital, to ensure that our courses are employer-focused, industry-relevant and open up doors to exciting futures.
CONEL is a part of the Capital City College Group.
